WOLVES: Student earns 'A' to a point

I was very impressed with the letter written by Sarah Smith, the fifth-grader from Dalton Elementary. Young people should use good research before forming opinions and drawing conclusions. However I was not impressed by the direction Sarah and the rest of her class received from their teacher. I'd like to believe our teachers provide facts from both sides of controversial issues, and then let the kids (and adults) arrive at their own conclusions.

Sarah, while most of your findings were true and very informative, one of your statements should have been corrected by your teacher, before it was published in the Coeur d'Alene Press newspaper. I'm referring to the statement, "a wolf has never killed a human since they started keeping records in the 1800s." Please look-up, "Wolf attacks/Candice Berner" on the Internet. You'll find this 32-year-old Special Education Teacher was attacked and killed by wolves while she was jogging, in March of last year. Also look-up "wolves kill Kenton Joel," a 22-year-old Ontario engineering student who was attacked and killed by a pack of wolves on Nov. 8, 2005. These were the same gray wolf species that were transplanted in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. I'm not saying fatal wolf attacks on humans are common, but they have recently occurred.

Another good reference is the Wild Sentry group, based out of Hamilton, Mont. Unlike some wolf advocate groups, this one provides unbiased information. Their goal is to protect wildlife, but they document and publish ALL THE FACTS, including wolf attacks on humans. You might be surprised at how many times small children have been attacked by packs of gray wolves. For the record, I believe there's a place for wolves in Idaho. I've seen them in the wild and heard their eerie howls. Wolves are truly awesome creatures. But like mountain lions, bear, deer, elk and moose, the gray wolf population must be managed to ensure other species aren't negatively impacted by an overabundant population.

Sarah, I want to thank you for your article. You come across as a very bright and sincere young lady. My intent here is not to change your viewpoint, only to provide additional resources which might broaden your understanding of gray wolves.

STEVE SHAMION

Post Falls